Presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai on Tuesday traveled to Balkh for one of the last stops on the campaign trail before the June 14 runoff election. He told local supporters his priority in office would be the restoration of lasting peace and security and rule of law in Afghanistan.
Ashraf Ghani, a former World Bank economist, also focused a great deal of time on his bread-and-butter subject - the national economy. He promised practical, localized programs that would bring dramatic changes to everyday lives.
He also focused on national unity, echoing calls for an elections season free of the fractious ethnic politics that have long divided Afghanistan.
“Our political determination focuses on reforms, no governor will be sovereign in our government, no government official will be allowed to threaten Afghan businessman or ask for a bribe,” Ghani said.
Ghani called on his supporters to get out and vote on June 14, when he will go face-to-face with Abdullah Abdullah in the country’s first ever runoff round. This year’s election also marks Afghanistan’s first democratic transition of power in history.
Most of the Ghani team was at the rally in Balkh, and Fire Vice-President General Abdul Rashid Dostum spoke to the crowd. “God willing, we will sweep the election, but you must vote in large numbers so that our team can win,” Gen. Dostum said.
Other public figures who have endorsed Ashraf Ghani attended the rally and encouraged voters to cast their ballots in favor of him.
“if you want peace and security to be restored to Afghanistan, then cast your votes in support of Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai,” Paktia Governor Juma Khan Hamdard said.
The runoff vote lies just under two weeks away. And if Ashraf Ghani hopes to edge his opponent - who won the first round with 45 percent of the vote - then he must hope rallies like the one on Tuesday translate into votes on Election Day.
Source/Fuente: http://www.tolonews.com/elections2014/ashraf-ghani-addresses-supporters-...
